Dead fish and foul smell plague Guwahati’s Dighalipukhuri for weeks

For nearly three weeks, dead fish including rohu, catla, silver carp, common carp and bighead carp have been found in Guwahati's iconic Dighalipukhuri pond, with carcasses now decomposing in the water. Residents report a foul smell and thick algae layers covering parts of the pond. Local resident Fatima Gulbadan said wastewater from toilets and urinals of a nearby restaurant and the War Memorial enters the pond, polluting it.

Civic group Reclaim Guwahati said the water treatment machines installed by the Tourism Department late last year have been non-functional for several months. Member Prananjay Das said the group cleans the pond every Sunday and found dead fish on July 19 and August 2. He suspects intense heat, lack of oxygen, or malfunctioning machines as causes.

The incident echoes a 2021 fish kill at the same pond, attributed to depleted oxygen. Citizens are now calling for a detailed water quality assessment. An official from the concerned department said they have informed the Fisheries Department in writing but the matter has received little attention so far.